1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a variable-capacity ice container for an ice-storage type air conditioning system, and more particularly to an ice container with a plurality of elongated slots formed in the outer surface thereof, which slots prevent substantial volumetric expansion of the ice container when the water in the ice container is frozen.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional ice container includes a spherical plastic housing (10) with a plurality of circular depressions (11) formed uniformly in the entire outer surface thereof. Referring to FIG. 2, another conventional ice container includes an elongated plastic housing (12) having a bellows-like portion (13). A plurality of the spherical ice containers or the elongated ice containers are placed in a large container through which the circulating coolant of the ice-storage air conditioning system flows to interact with the ice containers so as to perform heat exchange. When the air conditioning system is not in use, the ice containers are cooled to freeze the water in the ice containers. When the air conditioning system is in use, heat is transferred from the circulating coolant to the ice in the ice containers and melts the ice. When the water in the ice container of FIG. 1 is frozen, the ice pushes against the wall of the ice container at the circular depressions (11) to form protrusions on the outer surface of the housing (10). When the water in the ice container of FIG. 2 is frozen, the small-diameter portions of the bellows-like portion (13) expand so that two ends of the housing (12) extend outward, thereby increasing the length of the ice container. As a result, the solidification of the water in the ice container causes substantial capacity increment and volumetric expansion of the ice container. Subsequently, when the ice in the ice container melts, the housing returns to the original shape, thereby reducing the capacity and volume of the ice container.
Substantial volumetric periodic expansion and contraction of the ice containers cause difficulties in positioning the ice containers within the large container and result in frequent friction between the ice containers, thereby damaging or even breaking the ice containers. Because it is difficult to position the ice containers in an orderly manner in the large container, the circulating coolant cannot flow uniformly over all of the ice containers, the water in many of the ice containers might not be frozen, thus decreasing the heat transfer efficiency between the ice containers and the circulating coolant.